Diocesan support for school mergers
THE Bishop of Ludlow, the Rt Revd Michael Hooper, has opposed plans, to be discussed on Monday, to close some schools and merge others, particularly two church primary schools, Lydbury North School and Clunbury School. There were no educational grounds for such a move, the Bishop said (Education, 8 February). But the Diocesan Director of Education for Lichfield, Colin Hopkins, welcomed the amalgamation of four schools in the neighbouring diocese of Lichfield — Beech Grove, Meole Brace, Holy Cross, and Longmeadow — with local community schools.
Brighton church — options should be explored
A DECISION on the future of St Peter’s, Brighton, which is in danger of being declared redundant, was referred back to the Bishop of Chichester, the Rt Revd John Hind, by the pastoral committee of the Church Commissioners last week (Letters, 21 November 2007). It asked the Bishop to “conclusively establish, or otherwise, the pastoral need for the building”.
New Dean for Derby announced
THE next Dean of Derby will be Dr Jeffrey Cuttell, aged 49, the Rector of Astbury and Smallwood in the diocese of Chester. The new Dean succeeds Dr Martin Kitchen, who resigned in December, and will be installed on 13 September. “I’ve had an unusual career path, beginning with nuclear physics, moving into theology and philosophy, with big dollops of practical experience with the media and the military mixed it,” he said.
Two clerics appear before magistrates
THE Church in Wales has confirmed that a 59-year-old cleric from Beguildy is the subject of 18 specimen charges concerning indecent images of children, and will appear before Brecon magistrates on 29 May.
A South Yorkshire cleric, the Revd Adrian Fereday, aged 50, the Rector of Firbeck with Letwell, and Vicar of Woodsetts, appeared before magistrates in Rotherham on Wednesday, charged with 17 offences of making and possessing indecent images of children. He did not enter a plea, speaking only to confirm his name and address. The case was adjourned until July for papers to be prepared. Mr Fereday, who has been suspended by the diocese of Sheffield, was granted conditional bail.
Derby foster couple can reapply
A Christian couple, Eunice and Owen Jones, have been allowed to reapply to be foster parents, after threatening a judicial review of Derby City Council’s refusal to allow them to provide respite care for children under ten, after they said they could not tell a child that being homosexual was acceptable. The couple have already fostered almost 20 children over four years (News, 29 February).
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